Tessa Teevan - Incinerate

Unable to stop the gasp the escapes me, I slide down and straddle the bench, facing him.

“She was sleeping with your brother?” I ask, wondering what kind of girl—and brother for that matter—would do something like that.

He doesn’t turn to face me when he continues, and I watch as his eyes close for a split second before he shakes his head, as if he’s trying to shake the memory away. I’m trying to figure out what he’s feeling as he’s recalling the memory, but looking at him from the side, I can’t read him.

“Yep, and he wanted me to know it. At first I was in shock, trying to find some reason, some excuse, but it was right in front of me. And the shock turned to devastation, which then turned to anger.”

“I can’t even imagine how you felt. I mean, walking in on Drew was awful, but your own brother?”

“Honestly, I don’t even know that it surprised me that he’d do it, but her? I don’t know. I guess I’d put her so high on a pedestal that I never imagined a scenario where she’d completely destroy my heart, but I guess I was wrong.”

Finishing the story, he tells me about how she wanted someone goal-oriented and career-minded, and that was his brother, not him. Growing up, I always wanted siblings, and I thought I was missing out on a special bond. I can’t even begin to imagine how that betrayal must’ve hurt, not only from the woman you love but your own flesh and blood, too. My heart’s breaking for him, even though this happened so long ago. The fact that everyone in his family except for Cohen turned their backs on him when he left breaks it even more.

“So that’s it. I guess we’re two peas in a really shitty pod. Damn, it kinda felt good to get all that out for once,” he says, standing up from the bench.

Joining him, I loop my elbow through his arm and we begin walking back towards the parking lot. “I guess we are. But there’s nothing that says it has to stay that way, you know? Not everyone’s a cheater.”

“I haven’t bothered to find out. I haven’t dated anyone since her,” he tells me. While I shouldn’t be surprised, I can’t help the feeling.

“You haven’t dated anyone since you graduated high school? Not a single person, not even casually?”

We’ve made it to the car, and he holds my door open for me. When he goes around to his side and slides in, he looks over at me. “Nope, no one. I had a long time to stew on what happened during boot camp and my EOD training. The more I thought about it, the more I decided that love wasn’t for me. I don’t see how you could say you love someone for four years and then all the sudden decide to sleep with someone else. If that’s love, I don’t want any part of it. And the casual bullshit is just that. Bullshit. It may start that way, but it just gets complicated later on.”

I knew he was jaded, but I didn’t realize he was that much against relationships. “Knox, you guys were kids. Love means something totally different when you’re that age. You can’t swear it off based on one experience.”

“Oh yeah? How’d the whole love thing work out for you and the professor?” Ouch. He’s got me there, but damn that was a low blow.

I tell myself he’s just feeling a bit of bitterness after recounting what happened between him and Megan, but the conversation has been officially killed with that comment. Leaning back against the seat, I stare out the window for the rest of the ride home.

Knox

NOT WANTING to listen to her tell me why I shouldn’t give up on love, my inner asshole came out, effectively shutting her up until I pull into the garage. This is definitely not how I planned on the night going, but I wasn’t lying when I said it had actually felt good to talk to someone about Megan. Turning the car off, I grab her arm when she goes to get out.

“Sorry, sweetheart. I meant what I said, but it came out harsher than I expected.”

I’m relieved when she smiles at me. “Don’t worry about it, Knox. Message received, loud and clear. You don’t do love. I get it,” she says, pulling away from me.

When we get in the house, she throws her purse on the table beside the door, something that drives me nuts. For the past eleven years, I’ve been used to order, and I hate when things are out of place. It’s irrational, but I figure the Army’s drilled it into me so much that I can’t help it. I’m still trying to get used to living with someone, especially a chick.

She heads straight back to her bedroom, before reappearing in an oversized t-shirt and a pair of comfortable shorts. I’ve learned that she hates lounging around the house in regular clothes, so she’s always changing the moment she walks in the door. She lives in t-shirts and those hot little yoga pants that show off her ass. I’m all about a girl that dresses up, but the comfortable look on Charlie is sexier than anything else, and even though I try not to, I always notice when she changes.

Grabbing a couple of beers, I join her in the living room, where she’s going through the Netflix queue. I hand her one, and she gives me a smile. Yeah, I’m definitely getting used to this. Having her here, comfortable, on my couch, in my house, in my life. I find myself hoping that she decides to stay when her friend gets back in a few weeks.

“Archer or Arrested Development?” she asks, and I go for the first choice. Settling back in on the couch, we spend the next couple of hours laughing at Sterling Archer and the rest of ISIS, with light conversation here and there. Neither one of us brings up our exes again; I couldn’t be more thankful for that.

Around midnight she can barely keep her eyes open. I’m somewhat disappointed when she decides to call it a night. Leaning over, she surprises me by giving me a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for tonight, Knox. I had a great time. And I appreciate you listening to me spill about Drew.”

“Hey, what kind of pretend boyfriend would I be if I didn’t give you a shoulder to lean on?” I grin at her and have to duck from the pillow she throws at me.

“I guess I should say thanks for that, too. You didn’t have to do that, but I appreciate it.”

“I’ll be your pretend man any time you want, sweetheart.”

She’s laughing, and I hope she knows I mean it. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She turns to leave but stops when she gets to the hallway. Looking back at me, I can tell there’s more she wants to say. “I think you’re looking at it the wrong way. It wasn’t a mistake. Not even close. I think it was a gift. Imagine if you’d ended up married to her and she later on decided you weren’t enough. Look how close I was to coming to what really would’ve been the biggest mistake of my life. Be thankful she got away, Knox. I know I am.”

With that she leaves me alone in the living room. I process her words, repeating them in my mind over and over, almost like a mantra. I didn’t tell Charlie about Megan showing up at the hospital, but she basically hit the nail on the head anyway. And she’s right. It’s a fucking gift that I didn’t end up with her, and I need to start looking at it that way.

Knox

THE REST of the summer passes way too quickly. I’ve made amazing progress with the physical therapy that started after I got my cast off. Dr. B said that it’s because I had Charlie to keep me in line, and while I agree, I’m wondering if she was always trying to suck up in front of her boyfriend’s daughter. There are only a couple more weeks in Jace’s challenge, but I already know I’m not going to pick that book back up. Living with Charlie has actually been a lot easier than I initially thought it would be. Neither of us has brought up our exes since that night, and she hasn’t needed me to play pretend again, even though I wouldn’t have minded.

“Ready to get your ass kicked?” she asks, walking out of her room in short spandex shorts and a fitted black and pink tank that says, “I Hit Like a Girl.”

My eyes trail down her toned, tan legs to her matching black and pink tennis shoes. Smirking at her, I’m surprised to find her in pink. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her wear the color.

“Stop staring and let’s go. I’m excited to finally get to do this,” she tells me, grabbing her gym bag and walking out the door.

For the first time, I’ve finally been cleared to go back to all my normal exercise activities. Kale’s been telling me stories about Charlie in the ring, and if he jokes one more time about getting her flat on her back, I’m probably going to sucker-punch him. He did give me some good intel about her friend, Lucy, coming back soon. I need to figure out a way to bring it up without making it sound like I’m begging her to stay.

Now that I’m in the clear and back at work, there’s no reason for Cohen to come here for a few shorts weeks, especially since he’s about to start his final year of undergrad. He offered last time I talked to him, but I told him I was fine, and he sounded relieved. It’s just that the thought of living alone again isn’t one I want to have. I don’t know how it happened, but I’m too used to having her around for her to leave at the end of the summer.

Hearing my car horn, I grin while locking up the house and joining her in the garage. Sliding into the car, I look at her. “Impatient much?”

Nodding enthusiastically, she says, “Dad couldn’t make our weekly sparring session earlier this week and I haven’t been able to get to the gym. With school about to start, my office hours have been insane. Plus, I’ve wanted to smack you around since the moment I met you. So yeah, let’s get going already.”

“Umm, Charlie, you’ve already done that,” I remind her teasingly.

She slightly reddens before giving me a soft punch on the arm. “Hey, you deserved that one,” she answers, and I can only shake my head.

Once we make it to the gym, she hops out of the car and quickly goes inside. Watching her legs flex and her ass shake with every step is so damn hot, and I don’t know if I’m going to be able to concentrate when her legs shoot out as she goes for a kick. And heaven help me if she does too many roundhouse kicks. Her legs spreading might be my undoing.

When I get inside, I see her already stretching, getting her muscles loose. I join her, doing the same thing. A few minutes later, we find an open ring and I follow her inside. I can’t help the laugh that comes when I see her pink boxing gloves, and she flips me off, causing me to laugh even more.

“Why the hell are you laughing at me, Wellington?” she asks. I’m finding that she’s pretty damn sexy when she’s scowling at me and calling me by my last name.

Waving my hand towards her, I answer her. “All this pink. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear it, and now it’s all over you.”

She rolls her eyes. “Are you ready to do this?” Before I can answer, I hear a voice call from the side of the ring.

“Hey, Charlie, take Rugged Man down!” I look over to see Jace giving her a thumbs-up.

A faint blush spreads over her cheeks, and I vaguely remember her calling me that once when she was pissed at me. Raising my eyebrows, I have to ask. “Rugged Man? Aw, sweetheart, did you give me a nickname?”

She lifts her chin and looks me square in the face. “I may have given you that moniker the first time I saw you, and since you wouldn’t introduce yourself, it may have slipped out when talking to Jace.”

I grin, loving that she gave me a nickname. “So you think I’m rugged?” If it could, my dick would be high-fiving itself right now.

“Thought. I thought you were rugged. Now I’m not so sure. Guess we’ll find out, won’t we?”

“Trust me, sweetheart. You definitely will,” I promise, shooting her a wink.

Jace climbs into the ring and gets us started. We spend the first few minutes moving around the ring, one of us moving in for a quick jab or sidekick but then pulling back. Impressed with her technique, I know I’m going to have my work cut out for me, especially since my cardio has been lacking lately. I’ve sparred with women before, and I’ve never had a problem seeing them as equals when we get in the ring. There’s something about Charlie that makes me want to let her win, but I think she’d really kick my ass if I did that.

The first round ends without excitement. I admire the way her shirt rises up when she takes a drink of water, showcasing a toned stomach.

“Quit taking it easy on me. I know you can pack more in your punch than what you’re giving,” she says, catching on to my game. “Seriously, if you don’t fight me like you’d fight Jace, I’m going to make you sit through every episode of Duck Dynasty until you’re all caught up.”